EMH, Enjoy Myanmar Holiday, Tours & Travel Group Website: www.emhtours.com
Complete Myanmar – 18 Days
(Tour Code: DF-18D17N-1)
Ø Itinerary Overview Ø Includes & Excludes Ø Hotel Options Ø Detail Itinerary
I. Itinerary Overview
Time Destination Meals
Day 1 Arrive Yangon – Shwedagon Pagoda – Yangon by Night -
Day 2 Yangon - Circle Train – Sule Pagoda – Colonial Walking Tour B
Day 3 Yangon – Htaukkyant – Kyaikhtiyo (Golden Rock) B
Day 4 Golden Rock – HpaAn B
Day 5 HpaAn – Mount Zwegabin Trek, Saddan Cave B
Day 6 HpaAn – Kawgun Cave - Yangon B
Day 7 Yangon – Bagan – Temples Tour B
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Day 8 Bagan Sightseeing by E-Bike B
Day 9 Bagan – Mount Papa – Taung Kalat Monastery - Mandalay B
Day 10 Mandalay – Mingun – Sagaing – Sunset View at U Bein Bridge B
Day 11 Mandalay – Morning Flower Market – Maymyo (Pyin Oo Lwin) B
Day 12 Mandalay – Heho – Pindaya Cave – Inle Lake B
Day 13 Inle Lake Boat Tour B
Day 14 Inle Lake – InDein – Ywama Boat Trip B
Day 15 Heho – Ngapali Beach B
Day 16 Ngapali Beach B
Day 17 Ngapali Beach B
Day 18 Ngapali Beach – Yangon – Fly Back Home B
II. Includes & Excludes
Ø Includes
• 17 nights accommodation based on twin/double shared • enjoy daily breakfast at hotels • 4 internal flights • professional English speaking tour guides • quality air-conditioned private cars for sightseeing • E-Bike per person for Bagan eBike tour • return private boat to Mingun • private boat to sightsee the InLe Lake • 3 days leisure at Ngapali Beach • return airport transfers • enjoy exploring Myanmar as per itinerary
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Ø Excludes
• Visa Fees • Entrance Fees approx. $85 AUD per person for entire trip • Meals not specified in the "Included Meals" section • Personal insurance and other personal expense
III. Hotel Options
Ø Standard Option – 3 Star Hotels
• standard room at Royal Khattar Hotel in Yangon or similar • deluxe room at Mountain Top Hotel in Golden Rock or similar • deluxe room at Glory Hotel in Hpa An or similar • deluxe room at Bagan View Hotel in Bagan or similar • superior room at Hotel Nova in Mandalay or similar • superior room at 81 Hotel Inlay in Inle Lake or similar • standard room at River Top Lodge in Ngapali Beach or similar
Ø Premium Option – 4 Star Hotels
• superior room at Jasmine Palace Hotel in Yangon or similar • deluxe room at Mountain Top Hotel (3 Star Hotel) in Golden Rock or similar • deluxe room at Glory Hotel (3 Star Hotel) in Hpa An or similar • deluxe room at Amazing Bagan Resort in Bagan or similar • superior room at Eastern Palace Hotel in Mandalay or similar • deluxe room at Ananta Inle Resort in Inle Lake or similar • deluxe room at Amazing Ngapali Resort in Ngapali Beach or similar
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IV. Detail Itinerary
Day 1 Arrive Yangon – Shwedagon Pagoda – Yangon by Night
Upon arrival in Yangon, you will be met by your guide and transferred to your hotel.
Formerly named Rangoon by the British, Yangon was the country’s capital until 2006 and is still the country’s largest and most influential city. Its dusty streets are lined with an intriguing array of traditional wooden houses and shacks, imposing Colonial-era relics, and later twentieth century – although often already decaying – office blocks. Yangon’s skyline remains astonishingly low-rise and green – far more so than other South-East Asian cities. Rivers, lakes, parks and golf courses separate the built up districts, and trees line the streets. The gleaming golden spire of Shwedagon Pagoda – one of Myanmar’s most iconic sights – peacefully dominates the cityscape.
Having checked in to your hotel, the day is at leisure until a late afternoon visit to the Shwedagon Pagoda. This 2,000 year old temple is one of the most significant religious sites in Myanmar, and undoubtedly the one most readily associated with the ‘Land of the Golden Spires’. It’s also the perfect spot to enjoy the Yangon sunset.
Explore the many shrines that surround the pagoda, as residents from across the city flock to this incredible landmark to make their daily prayers. Outside the main compound, makeshift food markets appear, where your guide can introduce you to your first taste of Yangon cuisine. As night falls, the pagoda is lit by floodlights that illuminate its golden surface and turn this already astonishing landmark into a truly mesmerising sight.
Continue to Little India, a lively district of Yangon crammed with fantastic restaurants, with delicious scents and lively sounds to entice you in. If you can resist diving in for a meal, visit the Shri Kali Hindu temple, built by Tamil residents while the region was part of British India, and now maintained by the local Indian community. Next up is Chinatown, where a different riot of cooking smells will be waiting to tempt you. Drop in to the Cantonese Kwan Yin (or Guanyin) temple, founded in the early 1800s, before finally reaching 19th Street, lined with restaurants, street food stalls and hawkers selling cold beer. It’s time for a difficult decision – stay here with a cold beer and a plate of freshly cooked street food while you watch life go by, or proceed to a more sophisticated eatery for dinner. The choice is yours!
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals: There is no meal included on this day.
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Day 2 Yangon – Circle Train – Sule Pagoda – Colonial Walking Tour
Morning transfer to the bustling streets of India Town, at the very heart of downtown Yangon round 26th Street. Explore the lively morning market where there will be plenty of time to barter with the vendors before making the short journey to Yangon’s Central Train Station to board the ‘circular railway’. This local commuter train service slowly weaves its way through the city’s various neighbourhoods, revealing the lively and colourful life of the inhabitants.
Upon arrival at Hledan, disembark and continue by car to the nearby Chaukhtatgyi Paya to visit the huge reclining Buddha. Also in the Hledan district is Yangon University and the area is home to many of the city’s more affluent residents.
Transfer to your hotel where there is plenty of time to relax before returning downtown to the Sule Pagoda. Known as the ‘gathering point’ by the city’s residents, the pagoda is one of the city’s great landmarks, and has also played an important part in contemporary Burmese politics. According to legend the Sule was built during the lifetime of the Buddha, making it more than 2,600 years old.
You may wish to consult one of the fortune-tellers residing in the many small rooms surrounding the pagoda before continuing west on foot towards Mahabandoola Park and Myanmar’s Independence Monument. From this point you can see many grand Colonial buildings including the City Hall, the Supreme Court and the Baptist Church.
Passing along Pansodan Street as far as the jetty, you may see boat loads of people making their daily commute across the Yangon River into the city to work, or to sell their homemade goods.
Set along the river bank, are many more fine Colonial buildings such as the Custom House, the British Embassy, the General Post Office and The Strand Hotel. The Strand was built in 1896 by Aviet and Tigran Sarkie, and opened in 1901. It was once home to the likes of George Orwell, Rudyard Kipling and Somerset Maugham. Spending time in teashops is one of the nation’s favourite pastimes, and after continuing your tour down 41st street through a typical residential area, make a stop in a traditional establishment where your guide will talk you through the general etiquette involved!
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals: Breakfast
Day 3 Yangon – Htaukkyant – Kyaikhtiyo (Golden Rock)
Morning departure for Kyaikhtiyo, a scenic 5 hour drive east from the capital.
En route stop at the Allied War Cemetery near Htaukkyant. The cemetery is the final resting place of some 27, 000 allied troops who lost their lives in Myanmar during World War II. Today the Imperial War Graves Commission upkeeps the cemetery and it’s manicured grounds.
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Continue on to Kyaikhtiyo, arriving at the ‘base camp’ of Kinpun in the late afternoon. Board a local truck (shared) that will take you as far as Mt Hermit where you will disembark and continue by foot for the final hour. The climb is very steep and you will pass many pilgrims walking bare foot.
The Kyaikhtiyo Pagoda, also unsurprisingly known as Golden Rock, is perched on top of a precariously positioned golden granite boulder. Layer-upon-layer of gold leaf has been applied by pilgrims and visitors, who come to marvel at the pagoda and pray to the Lord Buddha. Legend tells us a strand of Buddha’s hair is located under the boulder, ensuring it maintains its precarious balance. The best time to visit the rock is at sunset when the site is heaving with pilgrims eager to add their offering of gold leaf, and the fading light makes the scene even more dramatic.
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals: Breakfast
Day 4 Golden Rock - HpaAn
Those that wish can rise early to see the sunrise over the rock before returning to Kinpun and continuing the journey in a south-easterly direction to Hpa An. Discuss ideas for possible stops with your guide as there are a number of points of interest along the way.
Upon arrival in Hpa An, check in to your hotel. Surrounded by spectacular limestone outcrops, and set slightly back from the Thandwin River, Hpa An is a friendly, picturesque town where foreign tourists are still something of a novelty. Hotels and restaurants are at the simpler end of the scale and nightlife is almost non-existent. The town itself offers few sights to the visitor: the appeal is the nearby sacred Mount Zwegabin and the surrounding limestone formations which house Buddhist caves.
Late afternoon you will be met by your guide for a visit to Kyauk Kalap Pagoda, (pronounced chalk- galap). This tiny temple is perched precariously atop a limestone pinnacle, on a small island in the middle of a lake and is a great spot from which to watch sunset over the surrounding countryside and Mount Zwegabin.
Following sunset, return to your hotel and your evening is at leisure.
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals: Breakfast
Day 5 HpaAn – Mount Zwegabin Trek, Saddan Cave
We suggest a substantial breakfast today to give you energy for a day of trekking! Your morning
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challenge will be to summit Mount Zwekabin: standing 725 metres high, on the outskirts of Hpa An, it is one of the most sacred mountains in the country. Over 1,000 Buddha images are carved into the rock at the foot of the mountain and from here it takes around two hours to hike the steep stairway to the top. It’s a strenuous climb but the unobstructed views from the top are worth the effort and here you’ll find a small monastery and a pagoda that allegedly contains a strand of Buddha’s hair.
Return to the foot of the mountain around midday, in time for lunch.
Following lunch, visit Saddar Cave. The limestone karsts around Hpa An host various caves, but Saddar is the most impressive. On entering the cave, pass through the large natural chamber that houses various carved Buddha statues and trek along an underground passage through the mountain. It’s a fairly easy 20 minutes walk, but can be slippery in parts. The path emerges on the other side of the cave to reveal a beautiful scene of tree clad hills and a lake. From here board a traditional wooden canoe and you will be paddled leisurely around the outside of the mountain, back to the cave entrance.
Return to Hpa An and the remainder of your day is at leisure.
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals: Breakfast
Day 6 HpaAn – Kawgun Cave - Yangon
For those who wish (and don’t mind an early start), there is an opportunity to visit Hpa An’s bustling morning market. As with all Myanmar markets, the items on sale range from fresh fish and vegetables to clothing and electrical goods, and of course the ubiquitous food stalls. Tourists are still somewhat of a novelty so expect plenty of smiles as you stroll around.
After breakfast begin your journey back to Yangon, taking the route via Kawgun Cave. Here the partially open cave sides and walls are plastered with tiny clay Buddhas and carvings, some dating back to the 7th century. All open spaces were once covered in this plaster work, some of which has fallen away. However, those areas less exposed to the elements still exhibit rich paint work to enhance the effect which with a bit of imagination would have been a phenomenal sight when all in place and covering every inch of the cave walls.
Your guide will be happy to discuss ideas for possible additional stops en route.
Arrive in Yangon in the afternoon where the remainder of the day is at leisure.
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals: Breakfast
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Day 7 Yangon – Bagan – Temples Tour
Early morning transfer to Yangon Airport for your flight to Bagan.
Bagan is a truly mesmerizing destination, and a favourite of many travellers. Renowned as the city of four million pagodas, this is one of the richest archaeological sites in Asia. Today there are more than 2,000 pagodas, temples and monasteries — most built during the Bagan Dynasty, founded by King Anawrahta in 1044.
Firstly, we’ll go to lively Nyaung U Market where your guide will help you to discover a variety of Burmese traditional breakfasts. For breakfast, you will have your breakfast at a local tea house, which is situated next to the market. This Nyaung U Market provides great photo opportunity, and also the chance for tourists to mingle with the local Myanmar people, and watch how they conduct their daily lives.
Next, we will start sightseeing as below:
• Hti-Lo-Min-Lo Temple (a double-storied building with artistic stucco works)
• Ananda Temple (the architectural masterpiece of a millennium)
• That-Byin-Nyu Temple (the tallest in Bagan)
• Dham-Ma-Yan-Gyi Temple (noted for its intricate brickwork)
• Shwe-San-Daw Pagoda (We will spend this evening at the top of this pagoda for a superb sunset view)
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals: Breakfast
Day 8 Bagan – Sightseeing by E-Bike
Join your guide for a bicycle tour of Bagan. Begin by cycling along the main road towards Old Bagan, where most of the town’s temples are concentrated.
First stop is ancient, simple but elegant Bu-Paya, thought to have been built by Pyusawhti, the third king of Bagan, who ruled from 168 to 243 AD.
Back on the main road, cycle through the 9th century Tharabar Gate, before taking a look at the Ananda Pagoda, which is one of Myanmar’s most impressive and revered temples. Built by 1105 AD and richly decorated inside, the temple has been described as ‘the Westminster Abbey of Burma’, and houses four gigantic solid teak Buddhas that are fully covered in gold leaf.
Along the road, the Shwezigon Paya is also covered in gold – this time on the outside. Completed in
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1102 AD, this astonishing gilded pagoda is believed to enshrine a tooth and bone of Gautama Buddha.
This area is a nice peaceful place to relax and explore the lesser known but nonetheless interesting (and certainly less crowded) temples, such as Mya-zi-gon, with its painted frescos, ruined Satu- Mukha, U-pali-thein ordination hall with its historic murals, and many others which are given numbers instead of names.
Continue to the village of Nyaung U, an excellent spot for lunch thanks to Yar Khin Tha Street, which is lined with good sociable eateries serving both regional and pan-Asian meals. The Thanaka Museum is nearby – thanaka is the distinctive skin paste used across Myanmar as both sunscreen and cosmetic – and worth a wander while lunch goes down.
Once back in the saddle, return to your hotel via Anawrahta Road, which passes various sites of architectural and archaeological interest.
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals: Breakfast
Day 9 Bagan – Mount Popa – Taung Kalat Monastery - Mandalay
Departing Bagan, drive south for approximately 2 hours, passing a number of rural villages along the way, before arriving at Mount Popa.
Popa has been a sacred site since long before the Buddhist monks established their monastery – legend tells that the mountain is home to 37 ‘Nats’, traditional spirits not unlike saints that are worshipped throughout Myanmar in tandem with Buddhism. The mountain, along with the monastery perched on a cinder plug near its peak, is a popular pilgrimage site, and its slopes are scattered with shrines.
Continue on to Mandalay, arriving in the late afternoon. The economic centre of upper Burma, and the country’s 19th century capital, Mandalay, or ‘City of Gems’, is the country’s 2nd largest city. It’s synonymous with British Colonial rule and romance, due in part to Kipling’s love-affair with the city.
Taking its name from the hill that watches over it, modern Mandalay is a thriving centre of commerce (relatively speaking of course – this is no Los Angeles!) with a bustling city centre and central market. Having checked in to your hotel, the remainder of your day is at leisure.
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals: Breakfast
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Day 10 Mandalay – Mingun – Sagaing – Sunset View at U Bein Bridge
After breakfast, transfer across the city to Mandalay Port, where you will board a private chartered boat for your cruise along the Ayeyarwady River as far as the 18th century royal capital of Mingun.
After just 45 minutes cruise, you’ll disembark and explore Mingun on foot, taking in the key sites, such as King Bodawpaya’s unfinished temple and the mighty Mingun Bell, considered to be the world’s largest un-damaged bell. There will also be time to visit the enchanting Hsinbyume Pagoda, with its crisp white wave-like roof set perfectly against the deep blue sky above.
Having returned to Mandalay for lunch drive to Sagaing, an important religious and monastic centre on the Ayeyarwady River, twelve miles south-west of Mandalay. Capital of Upper Burma’s Sagaing Kingdom during the 14th century, the town remains capital of the Sagaing Region, which stretches along much of the Myanmar-India border. Its surrounding hills are covered in monasteries and pagodas, several of which can be visited on today’s trip.
The afternoon will be tailored to your preferences. Options include the Aung Myay Oo monastic school, which educates around 2,000 students who cannot afford government schooling. Children travel for up to five hours a day to attend, and any donations and school equipment are always welcome. Peaceful Myinmu Nunnery is home to 15 Buddhist nuns, and Zayyastheingi Nunnery to 60, any of whom will be happy to discuss (using your guide as translator) their way of life, Buddhism, and anything else you wish to talk about.
For a scenic overview, U-Min Thone Se Pagoda contains many sitting Buddha icons and also offers excellent views across Sagaing Hill, with its monasteries and nunneries. Alternative vantage points include Shin Pin Nan Kaing Hill, although due to its many steps this is only suitable for the fit and able bodied. Soon Oo Pon Nya Shin Pagoda, built in 674AD on top of Nga-Pha Hill, is said to enshrine Buddha relics – and to grant wishes. The pagoda is also a wonderful spot to watch the sun set over Sagaing and the Ayeyarwady River. If there is enough time, a visit to 30 metre high Kaung Mu Daw stupa is also possible, as well as the thanaka stalls in front of it, and a nearby paper doll workshop.
Then, you will be drive to the famous U Bein Bridge for a stunning sunset view. This U Bein Bridge is1.2-kilometre (0.75 mi) and built around 1850 and is believed to be the oldest and longest teakwood bridge in the world. Really nice to walk on the bridge under sunset.
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals: Breakfast
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Day 11 Mandalay – Morning Flower Market – Maymyo (Pyin Oo Lwin)
Now for a chance to escape the lowland heat; make a morning departure for Maymyo, also known as Pyin Oo Lwin, which is about two hours from Mandalay and sitting at an altitude of 3510 feet.
En route to the former Colonial hill station, you’ll get the chance to take in the colours and smells of Mandalay’s morning flower market, located at Kyauk Mee Village about 20 minutes from the city centre. Local growers arrive with their blooms carefully secured to their motorbikes, to sell primarily for offerings in homes and temples, but also for weddings and use in the city’s hotels. There’s a sociable buzz to proceedings and you’re likely to be the only curious tourists.
Continue your journey to Maymyo, with a further stop possible at an interesting Shan village. Originally a military outpost, Maymyo became a permanent military post in 1896, and was the summer capital during British rule. During the afternoon you can visit the Kandawgyi National Botanical Gardens & Pyin Oo Lwin Nursery, with their wide variety of plants, trees and indigenous orchids; several pagodas and temples; the impressive Pwe Kauk Waterfalls; and Peik Chin Myaung, an intriguing large Buddhist shrine-cave on the outskirts of town.
Maymyo is also a pleasant town to simply saunter through, enjoying the delicious dishes and excellent local coffee served at a number of small cafes and restaurants.
Return to Mandalay in the late afternoon.
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals: Breakfast
Day 12 Mandalay – Heho – Pindaya Cave – Inle Lake
After breakfast at hotel, transfer to airport for flight to Heho(30minutes). On arrival, proceed to Pindaya by car (about 2 hrs drive). This drive will give you delightful sceneries of hill station by passing through picturesque landscapes. Huge Banyan Trees near Pindaya caves are also well known for photo stop. Then visit PINDAYA CAVES where one can enjoy countless number of Buddha images from late 18 centuries. Well known for its beautiful stalactites and stalagmites.
Next stop are Traditional cottage industry of UMBRELLA MAKING and Pone Ta Lote Lake.
Then transfer to the hotel in Inle.
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals: Breakfast
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Day 13 Inle Lake Boat Tour
After breakfast at hotel, you will be met by your guide and transferred to Nyaung Shwe, set on the shores of beautiful Inle Lake and the main town in the region. It’s a picturesque drive; along the way you will pass many farmers bringing their crops to the roadside by ox-cart, for collection by wholesalers from as far afield as Yangon or China. You’ll immediately notice the refreshing difference in climate as well, with Heho sitting at an altitude of over 3000 feet.
After a chance to explore Nyaung Shwe, board a small boat and proceed onto Inle Lake. The narrow channels widen as you approach the lake proper, and you’ll soon be crossing the broad & (usually) tranquil waters, with hills and mountains surrounding you in every direction. The panorama is simply breath-taking, a mood only enhanced as you pass the fishermen deploying their unique foot-rowing technique.
The region is home to at least eight different tribes, who live both on and beside the lake. Inhabitants of this region rely on the lake in a variety of ways, be it for transport, food or income. During the afternoon, you will visit a floating vegetable garden and several minority villages, including Inpawkhone, a floating village famed for its weaving. You will also have the chance to learn about the traditional fishing methods used by the native Intha people. Later, there will be time to visit the Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda, with its famous five golden statues that are paraded around the lake throughout the fortnight-long festival of Hpaung Daw U, and the old teak Ngaphechaung monastery. Upon arrival at your resort, the remainder of your day is at leisure. Get ready for one of life’s great sunsets!
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals: Breakfast
Day 14 Inle Lake – InDein – Ywama Boat Trip
After breakfast, it’s back on the water, sailing in a southerly direction along the western bank towards In Dein and Ywama. En route, stop at one of the small lakeside villages, such as Minethauk or Nampan, and to take a tour, guiding between the houses with ease thanks to the expertise of your boatman.
Having switched back to your motorised transfer, continue to In Dein and Ywama; passing along a narrow canal, as far as a small Pa O minority tribe village. Disembark at the central marketplace and follow the old covered path that leads to a 13th century monastery, and the very impressive ruins of over a hundred ancient pagodas, some still well hidden by the lush deep vegetation all around.
Upon reaching the main stupa atop a hill, stop to enjoy sensational views of the surrounding mountains, and down the valley to Inle Lake in the distance. Return to the lake and transfer back to Page 12 of 14
your resort.
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals: Breakfast
Day 15 Heho – Ngapali Beach
Morning transfer to Heho in time for your flight to Thandwe.
Upon arrival you will be met by your guide and transferred to Ngapali Beach to check in to your hotel.
Without doubt one of the most impressive beaches in South-East Asia, let alone Myanmar, Ngapali Beach is a series of long bays of fine white sand leading down to crystal clear water. Until recently served by a small handful of decent hotels, more are now being built as the country’s tourist industry flourishes. Although this means that Myanmar’s best known seaside village is more developed than it used to be, the greater choice of good quality accommodation is undeniably welcome.
The remainder of your day is at leisure.
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals: Breakfast
Day 16 Ngapali Beach
Your day is at leisure in Ngapali Beach.
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals: Breakfast
Day 17 Ngapali Beach
Your day is at leisure in Ngapali Beach.
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals: Breakfast
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Day 18 Ngapali Beach – Yangon – Fly Back Home
Morning transfer to Thandwe Airport for your flight to Yangon to connect with your onward flight.
Meals: Breakfast
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